Less powerful than the monstrous AMG GT Black Series it replaces, the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+ is anything but a tame version. Four-wheel drive, a twin-turbo V8, sharp aerodynamics, and a top speed of 317 km/h: the new Formula 1 Safety Car arrives in Hungary with a very simple mission… never slow down too slowly.
Mercedes unleashes the horses
In Budapest, the Formula 1 They may not be the only ones to attract attention. Mercedes-AMG takes advantage of the Hungarian Grand Prix to send its brand new official safety car onto the track: the GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+, a 612 hp coupe transformed into a veritable rolling command post.
She becomes the fourteenth Mercedes Benz tasked with neutralizing the Grands Prix since the beginning of the partnership with F1 in 1996. An arrival celebrated by a spectacular black and red livery marking thirty years of the star's presence in the service of safety.
Fewer horses, but much more traction
One detail on the spec sheet might surprise you. The newcomer develops 612 hp, while the AMG GT Black Series used since 2022 boasted 730. Yet Mercedes hasn't replaced its former track beast with a cut-price GT.
The GT 63 PRO introduces a significant innovation: it is the first Safety Car in F1 history equipped with a fully variable all-wheel-drive system. Its AMG Performance 4MATIC+ system can distribute power between the two axles to maximize traction in both dry and wet conditions.
Bernd Mayländer, who has been driving the official safety car since 2000, immediately insisted on this change:
"It really comes into its own in the corners and under acceleration. »
The German driver believes that the car's direct response and traction represent a real improvement when it is necessary to quickly increase the pace.
And there shouldn't be any shortage of pace. The 4,0-liter twin-turbo V8 of the Mercedes Benz also delivers 850 Nm of torque, allows it to reach 100 km/h in 3,2 seconds, 200 km/h in 10,9 seconds and peaks at 317 km/hIn other words, no one is likely to mistake it for a supermarket parking lot's emergency vehicle.
A Safety Car that must also protect the tires
The speed of a safety car isn't just about spectacle. When it neutralizes the race, the cars slow down, their tires lose temperature rapidly, and their brakes no longer benefit from the same cooling. Too slow a pace can therefore turn the restart into a collective wheelspin session.
Mercedes-AMG This has enhanced engine and transmission cooling, while also reworking the aerodynamics. The GT 63 PRO receives a new front splitter, carbon deflectors, side wings, and a rear wing with an active flap.
On the production version, these improvements reduce the load on the front axle by more than 30 kg. The desired result is clear: greater precision in changes of direction and improved stability when Mayländer must attack the rapid combinations.
Braking is handled by 420 mm carbon-ceramic discs at the front, the largest ever fitted as standard by Mercedes-AMG, paired with six-piston fixed calipers. The car also rides on tires Pirelli P Zero specially adapted for this type of intensive use.
A control center launched at over 300 km/h
Beneath its coupe bodywork, this Mercedes Benz It remains, first and foremost, a working tool. It includes a roll cage, six-point harnesses, bucket seats, and the equipment specific to the FIA : radio, GPS, cameras and permanent link with race control.
The lights are now integrated directly into the wing, headlights, and taillights. Orange lights prohibit drivers from overtaking, while green lights allow certain cars to resume a lap when race control permits.
Bernd Maylander He is fully aware of the responsibility that comes with this role. The former DTM driver celebrated his 500th Grand Prix in service at the opening of the 2026 season in Australia. Hungary will now offer him a new office: more technologically advanced, more versatile, and likely even more spectacular to watch.
The GT Black Series impressed with its raw power. Its successor seems to have chosen a different approach: less showmanship, more control. But with 612 hp, all-wheel drive, and a V8 capable of roaring up to 317 km/h, Mercedes Benz did not exactly sacrifice the spectacle on the altar of prudence.
